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The Best of the Sunny Raw KitchenThe Best of Raw Freedom CommunityDelightfully Raw andDeliciously RawThese feature some of the most delectable creations to have come out of my raw kitchen and will appeal to anyone interested in a healthier diet, regardless of their level of knowledge and experience. From easy one-step everyday fare to more elaborate and involved gourmet dishes and layered cakes, they offer something for everyone and every occasion. Incredibly tasty smoothies, creamy and comforting warm soups, sexy salads, delicious nut cheezes, satisfying entrees and scrumptious guilt-free desserts...

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Our raw kitchen is somewhat a little quieter than usual these days, as Don and I have been lightly fasting. Nothing drastic or anything. We just felt like giving our digestive systems a bit of a break while doing the Oxy-Powder Colon Cleanse.

With juices, smoothies and soups on the menu (you know, baby food stuff! lol), the Vita-Mix, on the other hand, has been busy as ever! Perfect time to post about one of my favorite topics: raw soups. But hang on a minute; I know what you might be thinking! But there is so much more to raw soups than gazpacho, and they certainly don't need to be eaten cold!

Simplicity In A BowlDon and I started making raw soups when we first got onto raw, back in 2001, and we've been enjoying them daily ever since. They are a wonderful way to include more raw foods into your diet, as they can be prepared in no time. Plus, all you need is a half-decent blender and you're set to go! (Although a Vita-Mix takes things to another level! lol)

There was a time when we’d throw everything but the kitchen sink in our daily concoctions... all at once! What we’ve learned, however, is that simple is actually best. Select 2 or 3 veggies, add some water, seasonings and herbs of your choice. And don’t forget to put a little avocado or some other kind of raw fat in there, such as oil, nuts, nut milk or butter. It's the secret to making creamy soups.

Soupes Du JourI have been sharing several favorites over the months (see the Recipe Index), but here's a few more soups that have become staples for us.

Amongst many things, Don is the 'Soupman' around here. He's got a knack for coming up with great combinations. The following Spicy Cucumber Dill Soup is one of his latest creations. Sooooo good!

Sunny Raw Tip: As much as Don and I love raw soups, we don't really like them cold, especially in the wintertime. What we usually do is warm them gently on the stove, stirring constantly so as not to overheat (and therefore kill) the enzymes. An alternative would be to pop your soup in the D, although the stove method is what works best for us.

Jennifer Cornbleet, author of Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People, has mastered the art of making delicious recipes out of a few simple ingredients.

First, in a food processor, (not a Vita-Mix), place 3 1/2 cups of watermelon and 1 cup of mango and blend until smooth.

Next, dice up the remaining 1 1/2 cups of watermelon and 1 cup of mango into tiny pieces and add them to the puree. In a small separate bowl, combine the lime juice, mint, ginger, honey and cardamom. Add this to the previous mixture and stir well.

Now chill everything in the fridge and serve in a few hours.

Carmella's Note: We enjoyed this one cold, and it was beyond delicious!

I'm allergic to corn, so I generally stay away from it. But being corn season and all, I decided to make a corn chowder at least once. Boy, was it ever a good one! The following recipe is by far the best raw rendition I've tried. It is as beautiful as it is delectable! Joz, you got a winner, girl!

Im' so happy to have found this site, I have a juicer and a blender, but I just don't get how you can blend some recipes to smoothe consistency with out any liquid and just vegetables, help please, I feel like I have not go the right equipment, or have I? I mean do I need to juice some of the vegetables to get the liquid and then blend with other vegys????? Help please

In addition to the veggies you do use some kind of liquid (normally water). We actually prefer to use boiling water as in combination with the cold veggies it comes to the perfect lukewarm temperature. So comforting, especially during the cold months!

Also bear in mind that most veggies have a high water content which will also contribute to the smooth texture.

Glad that I got you all excited about raw soups, Maria! We couldn't live without them now; they're just so easy, quick, incredibly yummy and comforting.

I'd been hard pressed to give you a favorite but I can say that the ones we make most often include: Creamy Zucchini Soup, a variation of the Cucumber Dill in this post, Cheezy Corn Chowder, Spinach Almond Soup and Tomato & Herb Soup. Make sure to check out my Blog's Recipe Index (the link is on the right sidebar) for tons more soup recipes, including the ones listed above.

Oh, and btw we made the Watermelon Soup just a few days ago as we got a watermelon that wasn't quite ripe. It was so refreshing and delicious!

When I heat the soups up on the stove (I do so on medium) and I'm careful to constantly stir otherwise the enzymes at the bottom of the pan could get affected by the heat.

When I use boiling/hot water, usually the veggies come straight out of the fridge so the soup gets to the perfect lukewarm temperature. It does depend, however, on the bulk of your veggies. For instance you won't need as much hot water with a soup consisting of mostly tomatoes as, let's say, a zucchini or a celery soup. I always start off with just a small amount of hot water at first, then I stop the blending process to check on the temperature. At that point I add more hot or cold water, depending on what's needed to keep it lukewarm, until my desired consistency is reached. It sounds complicated but really you quickly get the hang of it. After a while you just develop a feel for how much hot water to use.

Hope this helps! Oh, and by the way, if you keep an eye on my blog sometime next week I'll be posting a video of a soup recipe so you can see how I do it. ;-)

I've tried almost all of these in the last two weeks!! AMAZING.. My favorites are the creamy spinach and the watermelon. One thing I did was save a few of each ingredient to add on a slow blend at the end (so my soups would be a little chunky). I was very happy to find a delicious way to eat raw corn. Thanks for these recipes!!!

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